NUISANCE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, RABIES, AND FERAL DOGS/CATS - ACCAT Conference 2019

NUISANCE WILDLIFE
MANAGEMENT, RABIES, AND
FERAL DOGS/CATS

                    ACCAT Conference 2019

ADC

Russell Boles
    Wildlife Criminal Investigator
    Program Coordinator
          Nuisance Animal Damage Control
          Taxidermy
          Scientific Collection

Animal Damage Control

— 70-4-115. Destruction and disposal of wildlife --
  Permit – Penalty.

— The owner of lands may destroy any wild animals,
  wild birds, or wild fowl when such wild animals,
  wild birds, or wild fowl are destroying property
  upon such lands. Any person, before destroying any
  big game under the conditions provided for in this
  section, is required to obtain a permit for destroying
  such big game. Such permit shall be issued by an
  officer of the wildlife resources agency.

ADC

— 1660-01-21 Rules and Regulations for Nuisance
  Animal Damage Control
  — Any person company, or other entity desiring to
    destroy, or otherwise control nuisance wildlife and
    charge a fee for such services must first obtain an
    Animal Damage Control Permit from the Tennessee
    Wildlife Resources Agency, except as otherwise
    provided.

ADC

— Nuisance Animal Damage Control Operators
  — Permitted by TWRA (allowed to charge a fee)
  — Must have demonstrated knowledge of wildlife and
    wildlife control techniques
  — Must carry liability insurance

— Training and Education
  — Wildlife species (behavior, habitat, diet, reproduction)
  — Wildlife identification by: scat, tracks, hair, behavior

ADC

— Permitted Nuisance ADC Operators
  —   300 + permitted operators in Tennessee
  —   10% keep permits for under 2 years
  —   25% growth each year in the past 5 years
  —   43% full time profession (pest control/ADC)
  —   57% part-time job
      — Students
      — Sport trappers

ADC

— Laws, Rules and Regulations
  —   TCA 70-1-206 Promulgates Rules and Regulations
  —   TCA 70-4-113 Use of bait, pitfalls, and other….
  —   TCA 70-4-115 Destruction and disposal of wildlife
  —   TCA 70-4-120 Trapping, snaring or baiting regulations
  —   TCA 70-4-208 Unlawful importation of skunks
  —   1660-01-21 Rules and Regulations for ADC
  —   1660-01-16 Wildlife Capture, Transport, and Release

ADC
Permitted Wildlife

      Armadillo       Beaver     Bobcat

      Coyote          Fox        Groundhog

      Mink            Mole       Muskrat
      Opossum         Rodents    Rabbit

      River Otter     Raccoon    Reptiles

      Skunk           Squirrel   Vole

      Weasel

ADC

— Bats are permitted on a case-by-case basis
  — Restriction May 1st – August 1st
  — Reproductive time (pups present, unable to fly)

— Migratory birds MUST have a federal permit
  — USDA Wildlife Service
  — USFWS (Southeastern Division – Permits)
  — Injured protected wildlife exceptions (transport only)

  NO BIG GAME SPECIES MAY BE HANDLED UNDER
  THIS PERMIT

ADC

— Trap and Release
  — Landowners may trap and release wildlife on site

— Relocation and Release
  — Only with permit; wildlife may not be relocated

— Death by Trap
  — Kill traps are allowed; restrictions apply

— Euthanasia
  — AVMA Guidelines for Euthanasia

ADC

— Wildlife – Release
  — Only at TWRA approved locations
  — Restrictions apply

— Wildlife – Required Euthanasia
  — Venomous Reptiles
  — Skunks
  — Raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and skunks
    — Inside Raccoon Rabies Surveillance Zone only

Skunks

— Skunks – Must be euthanized, no relocation/release
  — TCA 70-4-208 Unlawful importation of skunks.
  (a) It is unlawful for any person to import, possess, or
      cause to be imported into this state any type of live
      skunk, or to sell, barter, exchange or otherwise
      transfer any live skunk, except that the prohibitions
      of this section shall not apply to a bona fide
      zoological parks and research institutions.

  ADC permit holders are authorized to transport live
  skunks only for the purpose for safe and humane
  euthanasia.

Rabies

Rabies

Rabies

— Raccoon Rabies Surveillance Zone
  — Cooperative operation to inhibit the spread of the
    virus, vaccinate, test, and monitor raccoon rabies
    vector species.
  — Goal: To keep raccoon rabies out of Tennessee

  CDC, USDA, USDH, TWRA, TDH, TDA, TDOT, TVA,
  NPS, State Parks Service, Local Animal Control
  Agencies, ADC Operators, Landowners, Hunters, and
  Rehabbers

Rabies

Rabies

Rabies

— Raccoon Rabies Surveillance Zone
  —   Over $30 million spent
  —   Holding freezers throughout the zone
  —   10 counties in Tennessee with positive test cases
  —   Recent change:
      — Juvenile raccoons, foxes, and coyotes 6 months of age
        and younger may be taken to a permitted rehabber.
      — Future changes may occur depending on the success of
        the vaccination program.

Rabies

Rabies

— Since 2002, over 100 cases of raccoon rabies have
  been discovered in TN.

— Since 2008, positive test numbers have declined.

— Foxes (jumps) will not cause spread – dead end
  species (Knox)

— Positive test animals: Raccoons, Foxes, Skunks,
  Coyotes, Horse (1 – dead end species - Hamilton)

Rabies

— Raccoon Rabies Surveillance Zone
  — Why euthanasia?
    — Test brainstem for virus. Can only test dead animals.
    — No way to guarantee a trapped animal does not have the
      virus – no cross contamination or “jumps”.
    — Vector specie population numbers are not threatened by
      this program.

Feral Dogs/Cats

— TCA 70-01-101 (a)(22) “Nongame mammal” means
  all species of wild mammals not classified as big
  game, small game, or fur bearers. Domestic dogs
  and cats when running at large and apparently
  unclaimed and not under human control, whether
  licensed or unlicensed, shall come within this
  subdivision for control and regulation by law or
  commission rule or regulation not inconsistent with
  Tennessee Anti-Rabies Law, compiled in Title 68,
  chapter 8, to the extent such dogs and cats are
  endangering or harassing wildlife.

Feral Dogs/Cats

— Feral dogs join coyote packs
  — Reproduce with coyotes
  — Wildlife harassment

— Feral dogs are not feared the same as wild animals

— Feral dog packs

Feral Cats Impact on
               Wildlife
— Habitat loss is greatest cause of decline of decline in birds.

— Cats in the US are responsible for the death of ~2 billion
  birds per year and an estimated 3-8 billion mammals.

— Cats should be kept inside.
  — Predator consumption
  — Impact with motor vehicle
  — Contracting disease

Bird Deaths

Feral Dog/Cat Research

— “Cat Colonies” have caused a rise in research
  demand.

— What impact do the colonies have on local wildlife.

— Control Measures
  — Spay/Neuter/Vaccinate and Release
  — Trap and euthanize
  — Educate the public

Research

— The establishment or maintenance of cat colonies
  encourages people to release additional cats
  (Castillo and Clarke 2003).

— From a public health perspective, trap-neuter-
  vaccinate-return programs do not reduce the risk of
  toxoplasmosis or rabies exposure for human
  populations (Roebling et al. 2014).

Research

— The high reproductive potential of cats, the effort
  involved in catching them, and the number of cats
  on the landscape combine to make it very difficult
  to neuter enough members of a colony to keep their
  numbers in check. Models show that for TNR to be
  successful, between 71% and 94% of all cats in the
  colony must be spayed or neutered. Each time a
  non-neutered feral cat has a litter, or someone
  abandons non-neutered cats at the colony, the
  prospects for success diminish.

Research

— TNR does not address the risks and hardships that
  cats face living in the wild and that contribute to an
  average life expectancy of as little as 2 years,
  including injury, disease, predation, vehicle
  collisions, and maiming during cat-cat fights.
  Certain animal welfare groups, such as People for
  the Ethical Treatment of Animals, also oppose TNR
  for these reasons.

Training

— Animal Damage Control Methods
  — Residential
  — Commercial

— Nuisance Wildlife Management

— Reptiles, ID and How to Recognize Abuse/Neglect
— Exotic Wildlife and Animal Control

— Illegal/Legal Wildlife as Pets

Contact Information

Russell Boles
Wildlife Criminal Investigator
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

rusty.boles@tn.gov
615-934-7505